> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.arcuserp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Serial Numbers

> Track individual units of serialized products through receiving, fulfillment, returns, warranty review, disposition, quarantine, and audit lookup.

<Note>
  Inventory tells you how many units exist. Serial tracking tells you which exact unit
  moved, where it went, which customer received it, and what happened when it came back.
</Note>

## Use the Serial Registry

The Serial Numbers page is the registry for serialized units. Use it to search by serial,
product, order, status, warranty state, and location when investigating a shipment,
return, warranty claim, or inventory question.

<Frame caption={"The registry gives operators a single place to find serialized units by status, product, order, warranty state, and location."}>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/arcuserp/ATYxy7SB_HGOBGqh/images/support/screenshots/products/serial-numbers-list.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ATYxy7SB_HGOBGqh&q=85&s=aeccd0f3897558209d4b497e842c9a84" alt="Serial Numbers registry with KPI cards, status tabs, search, warranty states, product rows, order links, locations, and export action" width="1810" height="1040" data-path="images/support/screenshots/products/serial-numbers-list.png" />
</Frame>

* **Total Serials**: all serialized units in the current entity.
* **Available**: units that can still be selected for fulfillment.
* **Sold**: units captured on customer orders.
* **Returned**: units received back through a return workflow.
* **Warranty Expiring**: units near the configured warranty end date.

## When Serial Capture Is Required

Serial tracking is controlled by the product. When **Serialized Inventory**
is enabled on the product, Arcus expects one serial number per shipped unit. Operators
should capture the serial during receiving or fulfillment depending on the workflow.

* **Receiving**: capture or confirm serials when serialized stock enters inventory.
* **Fulfillment**: capture the exact unit before shipment or completion.
* **Returns**: tie the returned unit back to the serial sold to the customer when possible.
* **Warranty**: use serial history to confirm sale date, product, warranty end, and customer context.
* **Quarantine**: hold suspect units out of available stock while the team reviews them.

<Warning>
  **Do not bypass missing serials**
  Shipping a serialized product without serial capture breaks warranty, return, and audit
  traceability. Stop and correct the product, receiving, or fulfillment record instead of
  completing the shipment without the serial.
</Warning>

## Review Serials From A Product

When a stocked product has **Serialized Inventory** enabled, the product detail page
shows a **Serials** tab. Use it for a product-specific list of captured serials,
status, related order, and date context.

The product Serials tab is a lookup view. Capture and status changes still happen in
the workflow that owns the event, such as receiving, fulfillment, returns, disposition,
or the Serial Numbers registry.

<Tip>
  **If the Serials tab is missing**
  Confirm the product is a stocked item and that Serialized Inventory is enabled. Services,
  boxes, and variant parents do not show product-level serial tracking.
</Tip>

## Open A Serial Detail Page

Click a serial number to review the unit-level record. The detail page shows current
status, product, location, received date, sold date, returned date, previous order,
warranty state, and history.

<Frame caption={"Serial detail keeps status, product, order, location, warranty, and timeline context together for one exact unit."}>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/arcuserp/ATYxy7SB_HGOBGqh/images/support/screenshots/products/serial-number-detail.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ATYxy7SB_HGOBGqh&q=85&s=ea77fe9e588cc9767ddab80e5ffe5334" alt="Serial number detail page with returned status, product SKU, serial details, warranty card, actions, and history timeline" width="1810" height="1040" data-path="images/support/screenshots/products/serial-number-detail.png" />
</Frame>

## Understand Serial Statuses

* **Available**: in stock and eligible for future fulfillment.
* **Sold**: captured on an order and shipped or completed for a customer.
* **Returned**: received back through a return workflow and waiting for disposition.
* **Damaged**: not available for normal sale.
* **Quarantined**: held for inspection, review, or exception handling.
* **Voided or End of Life**: retired from normal stock tracking.

## Handle Returned Serials

Returned serialized units need a disposition decision. After the return is received, use
the serial detail action to decide whether the unit should go back into available stock,
be marked damaged, be quarantined, or be retired.

<Frame caption={"Disposition controls what happens to the returned serial after inspection."}>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/arcuserp/ATYxy7SB_HGOBGqh/images/support/screenshots/products/serial-disposition-modal.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ATYxy7SB_HGOBGqh&q=85&s=a3ec6e26d7e4d943109a3c8f96767ea3" alt="Set Disposition modal with Restock, Damaged, Quarantine, End of Life, restock location, notes, and Apply Disposition" width="980" height="980" data-path="images/support/screenshots/products/serial-disposition-modal.png" />
</Frame>

* **Restock**: returns the unit to available inventory, optionally at a selected location.
* **Damaged**: marks the serial as damaged so it cannot be selected for normal fulfillment.
* **Quarantine**: holds the serial for further review before a final decision.
* **End of Life**: retires the unit permanently when it should not return to inventory.

<Tip>
  **Inspect before restocking**
  Restock only when the physical unit has been inspected and should be sold again. Use
  Quarantine when the warehouse needs more time, photos, warranty review, or vendor review.
</Tip>

## Warranty Review

Warranty status is derived from the product warranty setup and the unit history. Sold
serials can show active, extended, expired, or not applicable states. When warranty dates
are wrong, review the product warranty setup and the fulfillment date before changing the
serial.

## Search And Export

Use search when a customer provides a serial number, order number, product reference, or
warranty question. Use export when a warranty provider, auditor, or operations lead needs
a broader serial review.

## Common Blocks

* **No serials appear**: serials may not have been captured yet, or filters may be hiding them.
* **Product Serials tab is missing**: confirm the item is a stocked serialized product, not a service, box, or variant parent.
* **Cannot fulfill serialized item**: required serials may be missing, duplicated, already sold, or unavailable.
* **Serial is already sold**: confirm whether the unit is being returned, exchanged, corrected, or replaced.
* **Warranty status looks wrong**: review product warranty setup, fulfillment date, and any extended warranty date.
* **Serial does not match the customer**: search the registry and confirm order history before processing a return or warranty claim.
* **Returned unit should not be picked**: use Quarantine, Damaged, or End of Life until the unit is safe to restock.

## View Serials on an Order (CS How-To)

Customer service reps can review all serial numbers tied to an order directly from the order detail page without opening each package separately.

1. Open the order from the Orders list.
2. Click the **Fulfillment** tab.
3. Scroll past the package cards to the **Serial Numbers** section. The section shows every captured serial grouped by package. If no serialized products were on the order, the section is hidden.

Each serial row shows:

* **Serial Number** with a copy button
* **Product title and SKU**
* **Lot number and expiry date** (when tracked)
* **Warranty badge**: green shield (active), amber shield (expiring within 30 days), red shield (expired)
* **Status badge**: sold / available / returned / etc.
* A link to the full serial detail page

Use the **Export CSV** button to download all serials for the order. Use **Print** to open a printable serial list for physical records or customer documentation.

<Tip>
  **Serials are read-only here**
  The CS serial summary is a read-only view. To capture, release, or update serials, use the Package card serial capture flow or the Serial Numbers registry.
</Tip>

## Related Articles

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Product Setup" href="/support/products/setup">
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  </Card>

  <Card title="Product Types and Costing" href="/support/products/product-types-costing">
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  <Card title="Inventory Management" href="/support/products/inventory">
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  </Card>

  <Card title="Inventory Transactions" href="/support/inventory/transactions">
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  <Card title="Fulfillment Station" href="/support/fulfillment/station">
    Operate the station view for picking, packing, and shipping.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Customer Returns" href="/support/returns/customer-returns">
    Create RMAs, receive returned items, inspect condition, choose disposition, and close customer returns.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>
